Farmer exports coffee

 By ROSELYN ELLISON

THE Maprik district in East Sepik is taking the lead in growing coffee as farmers continue to make good income from the crop through export.

According to farmer James Bimaru, coffee has been the source of income for the last 40 years now for his family.

Bimaru, 60, of Waikakum 3 in the Yamil-Tamaui local level government, told his experience with coffee to The National over the weekend.

He said he began his coffee farm in 1968 and over the years he pruned his trees and planted new ones.

“Now, I have 1,500 trees and I am extending my coffee block so I could plant new ones,” Bimaru said.

As a source of income, coffee gave him good money, he said.

Bimaru said the current price of coffee per kilo was K2.70, which he said depended on the world market price.

“I am appealing to the people in my district to make coffee their alternative cash crop as cocoa harvest has dropped due to the pod borer infestation,” Bimaru said.

But he said it would be good for farmers to concentrate on both coffee and cocoa because they had big demand.

Bimaru was looking forward to exporting six bags of coffee from his recent harvest.

Earlier this year, he exported a good volume of coffee beans and was planning to venture into bigger coffee production soon.